What Delilah Did

Let's Tessellate

 
If you visit me here often you probably already know that there are two sides to me: the traditional, period-drama-obsessed Tudor throwback who exists for most of the year; and the modern geo/neon-lover who has a tendency to surface every time the sun shines. When CrossStitcher asked me to design something for their summer issue it was a particularly sunny day, and I think you can probably tell from the picture above which hat won out.

You can find the project in the July issue of CrossStitcher (issue no. 267) which is in the shops now, or available in digital format here from Zinio. You can also see a roundup of some other designs from the issue on the Mr X Stitch blog.

On a related note, if you are familiar with Alt J then you have probably already guessed what I was listening to when I designed these. I took my baby sister (Cassia) to see them recently and somehow managed to get front row balcony tickets, which never happens. Normally I am stuck behind a gaggle of giants, which for a hobbit like me is somewhat problematic. It was my Cassia's first gig and the seats were amazing, the stage design was beautifully simple and stylish, and the band was flawless. A charmed introduction for her I think. Being a total fan-girl she also wore the triangle necklace I made her for Christmas:

Because triangles are our favourite shape...

 Delilah x

The Best Logos In The World Ever? Probably.

                         

                                

I wanted to wait until I had finished re-designing my website before I shared these, so that you got the full effect, but since things keep stopping me from working on it I decided I couldn't wait any longer.

 

 

I am so in love with them! They make me smile every time I look at them. The fabulous Julianna Swaney made them for me - I have been enamoured with her work for so long and I am over the moon to have some for my very own. You can see some of the working sketches on her blog here, should that sort of thing interest you (it does me).

 

I have made do with my own little scribbled banner up to now, but with the book and all the new things in the pipeline for this year I really wanted things to look more polished. So I have stripped the website right back (above) and treated myself to a few little business-luxuries like the logos to start the ball rolling. I have designed some little postcards to send out with orders too and am getting some proper business cards made, all of which should arrive next week. I am so excited! Small things.

I also have a tonne of new things which I think are all going to be ready quite close together. I didn't plan it that way, but I have been trying not to rush things because that way I end up hating them. Plus one of my biggest aims for this year was to regain a bit of a work/life balance, so things are taking a little longer. I think they are going to be much better for it.

Whilst anyone who knows me will tell you that I still have a very long way to go when it comes to stamping out the workaholic mentality, in comparison to how things have been for the past few years I have been making epic leaps and bounds. We're talking occasional whole days off: making time to cook, swim, find my dream kitchen (here), become obsessed with Game of Thrones (obsessed I tell you), and spend time with friends old and new...

But the thing that I forgot about life is that it has a habit of biting you in the bum if you let it. It is unpredictable and uncontrollable and, whilst these can be the very things that make it so awesome, for a control-freak like me it can be a little hard to swallow sometimes. I think the point I missed was the idea of balance. I was craving life so much that I forgot I need both. The certainty that work brings - that if I put in enough effort I can affect the outcome that I want - is something I really can't live without. The one thing that I can control. The knowledge that when things go a little pear-shaped elsewhere I can fall back on something solid. And so for the first time in so long I am relishing the fact that I have a mountain of work to keep me occupied. I can't wait to share the results.

Delilah x

New Bag Kit + Update

Afternoon all. The sun has disappeared behind a bunch of big fat clouds here today so I thought it was a good time to brighten things up and show you my new bag kit. I can't get my camera to do the colours justice, but they look awesome in person: minty aqua + chartreuse + mink. I always think the more unexpected combinations look the best. This one is in the shop now; I plan to add a coral version in the next few weeks too.

Peeking out of the top is my new favourite book - Lily Vanilli's Sweet Tooth:

It's almost the exact same colour as the aqua thread. I am a bit obsessed with that colour - I admit I wanted it before I even looked inside. If you haven't seen this book yet then you should absolutely get it, it is so good. We did secret santa gifts at Christmas and I bought a copy of it for the friend I picked out. I was so close to keeping it for myself but I was good and wrapped it up. Anyway, when we all opened our presents another friend had bought the exact same thing for me so I got one after all! Serendipity. I haven't had time to make anything from it yet, but the photos and recipes all look so beautiful that I can't wait.

Speaking of good recipes, I recently made up another batch of these:

It's been an age since I made them and I forgot just how yummy they are, and super-easy to make. Try them, you'll like them.

Oh, and I also just found out that my book is being released on 4th July! Exciting. I think it is coming out on 6th August in the USA too, so there won't be much longer to wait if you are there. I'll tell you more when I know.

I'm taking a few days off this weekend as I will be busy turning 24* and have all sorts of hijinx planned with my friends and family. I absolutely cannot wait. The shop will still be open for patterns but my last Post Office run will be tomorrow morning, so any kits ordered after that will be posted on Tuesday when I get back. Oh, and Royal Mail have treated us to yet more price rises, which means I will need to look at kit prices/delivery again before April...so if you want to take advantage of the current prices then now is the time.

Have a fantabulous weekend.

Delilah x

*I wish! It's the big 3.0. Hmph.

The Anatomical Heart

Hello. It's been a while hasn't it? Not to be melodramatic or anything, but January very nearly killed me. My three separate occupations all seemed to go into overdrive at the same time and I think I have averaged about two hours sleep a night for the past eighteen months. I wish that was an exaggeration.

The silver lining however is that as of last week I am now a full time stitcher! Wohoo! I maybe should have taken the leap quite a while ago instead of trying to keep juggling all the different elements of my life, but I am not naturally inclined to take whacking great risks on a whim so I opted for the "work myself to death to make sure I can keep paying my mortgage" route instead. I'm not sure I would recommend it.

I am currently trying to wade through the epic list of things that needed doing last week/month/year but now that I am able to give them my full attention I finally feel like I am getting somewhere. The last pages of the book have been finalised today so that is a massive relief - I always thought a book would be a lot of work, but it really was a huge undertaking. Beyond anything I could have imagined. I made it worse for myself because I was so particular about how I wanted things to be, which meant I ended up doing things that would normally be done by the publishers, but I knew I wouldn't be happy with it otherwise. I think maybe it wouldn't be so bad the next time around because I would know what to expect and could be better prepared. Maybe. It's looking awesome though, so you have every right to start feeling a small amount of contained excitement. I'd hold back a bit as there's still quite a wait, but a little spark-ette is definitely allowed.

There are also a LOT of new things on the way. The past year has been spent working almost exclusively on designs for the book and for other people, and on just trying to keep up with producing enough kits to meet demand, and all of this means that I have been forced to neglect my own shop a little bit. Whilst I am so grateful for all of the work that has come along to keep me busy, I have really missed working on patterns for the shop, especially since this is the thing that makes me happiest. So I have forced myself to have a bit of a re-jig in the way I am running things, which means that with the extra time I will have from not working at the office any more, I fully intend to come up with an almost obscene amount of newness this year. Starting with the heart pattern at the top of this post. I almost forgot about it because I have been rambling so much!

As usual I planned to have it ready rather sooner than this, but for any of you speedy stitchers who are looking for something a bit unusual to give to somebody lovely next Thursday, this might just fit the bill. Because valentines needn't be pink.

I got a bit carried away with the photography yesterday - I raided Mum's house/garden for props and now my new favourite thing to do is make shapes out of ceramic baking beans! What a loser. I also made that sweet little rosemary heart for my mama and now I want to fill my house with them. Anyway, I hope you like the new pattern. It's in the shop now.

Back soon, I promise.

Delilah x

Wriggly Tin

Ok, so I know it is painfully tedious looking through other people's holiday photos, but I promise these are not holiday photos in the normal sense. I will keep it brief. I just really want to show you where I went because it was awesome and I thought you might like it too (working on the proviso that if you are reading this we probably share a similar aesthetic).

Home for the week was this shepherd's hut in the middle of a field surrounded by trees and sheep (naturally) in deepest rural Hampshire. I was given glamping vouchers for my birthday so I knew whichever place I chose would be in a wonderful countryside location, but what sold me on this one was the beautiful job Alex (the owner) has done of kitting out the hut. Just look at it:

Brilliant, no?

I was blessed with no electricity and no phone signal and was therefore forced to relax, spending my time playing with fire, going for lovely long walks, reading by lamplight and eating copious amounts of toasted marshmallows. Bliss. I also now need a wood burning stove in my life more than ever...electricity may be useful and convenient but it is just so very dull in comparison.

Delilah x

Find out more about Wriggly Tin here: http://www.wrigglytinhuts.co.uk/

Monday

For a long time now my intention has been to simplify my life; and yet at 4.30am on a Monday morning I find myself boiling eggs and ironing while the rest of England sleeps. All because I cannot switch my brain off for long enough to have a proper rest. Suffice it to say if I was succeeding in the simplification process this would not be a problem...

One of my many frustrations is that whilst I am creating more new things than ever before, I am not actually allowed to share any of them with you yet. And I really miss being here. I miss the writing for its own sake and because it helps give a little direction to my wandering thoughts; I miss the sense of community I get from sharing things with you all and hearing your thoughts on them; and I miss having something tangible that I can look back on to help me remember just what it is I have been doing with my time.

And so instead of running around doing chores in this bonus time that I should be sleeping, I thought I would stop and say hello. And I am going to try to do so more often, even if I don't have any new work to show you. I hope that's ok.

"That's all well and good," I hear you say "but what does it have to do with a picture of a quiche?". Well nothing really. I just don't like blog posts without pictures and it is the one thing I have made recently that I am allowed to show you. It is my first ever quiche and, as is my way, I sort of made it up as I went along and probably couldn't reproduce it. But it was really scrumptious - chorizo, cheese and red onion. I am pretty sure the pastry isn't actually supposed to look quite as rustic as that but I absolutely love it! It looked like an enormous baked crown and fed me for the best part of a week. I need to try a smaller one next time, and I will try and write the recipe down as I go along so that I can share it.

Delilah x